Pakistan Daily Times
LAHORE: Several workers and office-bearers of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) joined the PTI Nazriati on Wednesday.Those who joined the PTI splinter group included Sheikhupura Traders’ Wing Vice President Rai Afzal, Sheikhupura Youth Wing Senior Vice President Shahid Bhatti, Sardar All Yar Wattoo of Feroz Wattoo, Lahore ISF UC 122 President Ibrar Butt, Lahore Bahria Town ISF Vice President Ali Raheel, Yousaf Butt, Raja Waqas Khan, Muhammad Yaseen, Fahad Jamshed, Asad Jamshed, Muhammad Abdullah, Riaz Alvi, and Chaudhry Imran.
They announced the decision at a press conference organised by PTI Nazriati Convener Akhtar Iqbal Dar and PTI Nazriati Deputy Convener Rana Usama Shakoor Khan on Wednesday.
They said that though they were among the founders of PTI, they had now decided to part ways because of Imran Khan’s “snobbish attitude” and acceptance of old politicians into the PTI.
They said that they along with many other veteran leaders were “ignored” by Imran Khan, which eventually forced them to part ways.
According to them, the party, which was a symbol of change and hope, after the successful rallies of Lahore and Karachi, had converted into a group of feudals and ‘lotas’.
They said the leaders and workers were dejected over the situation under which the newcomers had been placed on important positions, and the ideological workers were pushed to the backbenches.
They said Imran Khan’s recent rise to fame was not possible without the support of the establishment. According to them, it was pressurising many politicians to join the PTI.
They said that many of the newcomers were the ones who were a part of the Musharraf regime and his pro-US policy regarding war on terror and they would definitely influence the PTI’s policies after coming into power.
